‘Gangster Squad’ Trailer Aims to Be a Mob Hit

The first few seconds of the trailer for “Gangster Squad” give viewers reason to worry. They show Sean Penn in a sweaty white tank top, throwing punches at a heavy bag. Could the 51-year old actor be starring in a boxing film? Tell us it isn’t so. Happily it isn’t. Penn quickly picks up a gun–this is a gangster film, and all is right with the world.

Drawing from “L.A. Confidential,” “Scarface,” “American Gangster,” “The Untouchables,” and probably a few dozen other mob hits, the new movie is a fictionalized take on the real-life efforts to bring down Mickey Cohen (played by Penn), a Los Angeles-based gangster who looked and probably sounded nothing like Penn, but whatever. Given that trailer for the movie, set in the 1940s, features some hip-hop, it looks like the filmmakers are going for thrills ahead of verisimilitude. The star-laden movie also features Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, and Josh Brolin. Our favorite lines from the trailer: “Back east I was a gangster, out here I’m God.” “You are to make no arrests–this is off the books.” “Doesn’t seem right, that he should have so much while others have so little.” “Well, you gotta die of something.” “No ma’am, I was just hoping to take you to bed.” “A cop that’s not for sale is like a dog with rabies–you just gotta put him down.”